When lightning strikes, a noise is made which we call thunder. Thunder travels much slower, at the speed of sound, about 1088 feet per second . It takes sound about 5 seconds to travel one mile.
How far can thunder be heard?
Thunder can be heard up to 25 miles away, and lightning strikes have been documented to occur as far as 25 miles from thunderstorms – known as a “bolt from the blue.” So if you can hear thunder, you're close enough to be hit by lightning, and sheltering indoors or in an enclosed car is your safest bet.
How far away is a lightning strike if you hear the thunderclap 3.00 s?
When you are out in the great outdoors and have no internet access, you can calculate the distance of a storm using the simple 3-second rule: Just count the seconds between when you see the lightning strike and when you hear the thunder clap and divide this number by three .
Is sound or lightning faster?
Lightning and thunder happen at the same time. But you see lightning before you hear thunder because light, which travels a million times faster than sound , arrives almost instantly. Sound, on the other hand, takes about five seconds to travel one mile.
Is it OK to have your AC on during thunderstorm?
Operating your air conditioner during a thunderstorm can lead to some damage to your unit, so it's best to shut it down when the weather starts acting up . Luckily, humidity and temperature drops when storms roll in, so you'll get some relief even though your air conditioner is not in use.
How many seconds is thunder after lightning?
Since you see lightning immediately and it takes the sound of thunder about 5 seconds to travel a mile, you can calculate the distance between you and the lightning.
Is it safe to take a shower while its lightning?
No. Lightning can travel through plumbing. It is best to avoid all water during a lightning storm. Do not shower, bathe, wash dishes, or wash your hands .
How is thunder so loud?
Why is thunder so loud? It's because the amount of electrical energy that flows from the cloud to the ground is so enormous : it's like a very big waterfall of electricity. The louder the sound that you hear, the closer you are to the lightning. Light travels through air much faster than sound.
How long for the thunder to be heard if it strikes 12 km away from your location?
After you see a flash of lightning, count the number of seconds until you hear the thunder. (Use the stop watch or count “One-Mississippi, Two-Mississippi, Three-Mississippi,” etc.) For every 5 seconds the storm is one mile away . Divide the number of seconds you count by 5 to get the number of miles.
Can there be thunder without lightning?
No, it is not possible to have thunder without lightning . Thunder starts as a shockwave from the explosively expanding lightning channel when a large current causes rapid heating. However, it is possible that you might see lightning and not hear the thunder because it was too far away.
Does counting seconds after lightning work?
A general rule of thumb to know how far off a bolt of lightning is when you hear thunder, if you count the number of seconds between the flash of lightning and the sound of thunder, and then divide by 5, you'll get the distance in miles to the lightning : 5 seconds = 1 mile, 15 seconds = 3 miles, 0 seconds = very close.
How Far Can lightning be seen?
At night, it is possible to see the flashes of lightning from very far distances, up to 100 miles (160 kilometres) , but the sound does not carry that far.
Does thunder travel a mile a second?
Thunder travels much slower, at the speed of sound, about 1088 feet per second. It takes sound about 5 seconds to travel one mile .
Is thunder a sonic boom?
Sonic boom is an impulsive noise similar to thunder . It is caused by an object moving faster than sound — about 750 miles per hour at sea level. An aircraft traveling through the atmosphere continuously produces air-pressure waves similar to the water waves caused by a ship's bow.
Does bullet travel faster than sound?
When bullets fly through the air, they do so at amazing speeds. The fastest bullets travel more than 2,600 feet per second. That's equivalent to over 1,800 miles per hour. To put that in perspective, it's amazing to realize that bullets travel over twice the speed of sound !
Does AC attract lightning?
Today, one of the most trusted local HVAC companies, Stone Heating and Air, explains why you should turn off your air conditioner during a thunderstorm. While there's only a small possibility that lightning will strike your home, it can cause a huge power surge through your electrical system if it does happen.
Is it OK to run window AC while it's raining?
Rain does not affect your window air conditioner . It won't damage it or change the performance. The electrical components in an AC are sealed, keeping them from water damage. The only real risk to an AC is standing water, such as in a flood.
Can we run AC while raining?
Can I Turn On The AC If It's Raining? Rain alone will not harm your air conditioner . In fact, turning the system on during warm, rainy days can make your home feel much more comfortable. The only time you would need to be concerned is if the rain was severe enough to leave standing water around the unit.
How fast does sound travel per second?
This method is based on the fact that light travels much faster than sound through the atmosphere: Light travels at 186,291 miles per second (299,800 km/s), whereas the speed of sound is only about 1,088 feet per second (332 meters per second), depending on air temperature.
How far does sound travel per second?
In air at a temperature of 70° F (22.2° C), sound travels at a speed of about 1,129 feet (344 meters) per second, which is roughly equivalent to one-fifth of a mile in one second, or one mile in five seconds (or one kilometer in about three seconds).
Why does thunder sound like a bomb?
What sounded like an explosion, this rare weather phenomenon is actually caused when the air close to the ground is warm enough to cause a thunderstorm , while the cold air above produces snow.
Can you poop during a thunderstorm?
DO NOT POOP During A Thunderstorm . The plumbing company said this is just as rare as getting struck by lightning yourself. Do not shower, bathe, wash dishes, or wash your hands.
Can you cook during a thunderstorm?
When it comes to doing the dishes or cooking during a thunderstorm, your best bet is to wait until the storm has passed .
Is it safe to use WiFi during a thunderstorm?
During a storm, you need to avoid contact with any device that is connected to a wall outlet, but it is OK to use wireless devices that are not connected to wall outlets, including cellular and cordless phones, as long as you are inside .
What was the loudest thunder ever recorded?
The explosion was loud enough that this level of noise was recorded many miles away from the site of the blast. A sound of 174 decibels was recorded by barometers 100 miles from Krakatoa. That meant anyone within an 100 mile radius of Krakatoa had a chance of being literally deafened by this sound.
Why is thunder so loud in Florida?
The geographical location combined with the shape of Florida's peninsula is the number one reason thunderstorms develop almost every afternoon. Florida's peninsula is surrounded by water that is relatively cooler than the afternoon temperatures over land.
What does it mean when thunder shakes your house?
Why does the house shake when there is a thunder storm? Your house will shake depending the closeness of the lightning . Thunder is a sonic boom that comes from the rapid heating of the air around a lightning strike. Sonic booms cause massive shaking to nearby objects (your house).
